Kingdoms in the Sky
by Seph's Madisen Moss
Summary: It was their first loss. A little civilian girl was left staring up at them, asking "Where's my mommy?" They had failed. At the end of the day they were just teenagers trying to prove they weren't until it was true. Because sometimes what you see isn't all there is and you can only wonder how much you don't know.


**Hey everyone! I wrote this story before I posted Letters, I just wanted to check on some final things before posting, so expect the next two chapters of Letters later on as well. Before we begin I do have a warning as this story has mentions of suicide. No character actually does it, the point is merely brought up. That done, enjoy!**

It was their first loss. A bomb threat had been received for an apartment building and Young Justice dispatched. They had evacuated everyone, with the exception of one, and were reentering the building when a secondary bomb that they had not known about exploded. They had failed.

A civilian girl was left staring at them, asking "Where's my mommy?" in a voice that told them everything. She trusted them, they were safe, they were heroes, they couldn't _fail; _it was impossible, unimaginable. They were struck speechless because it was perfectly possible, vividly imaginable, and horribly real. They had failed. At the end of the day they were just teenagers trying to prove they weren't until it was true. Robin was the first to step forward and the least impacted by the realization. He had known it before.

"Your Mommy left for a while." Robin said gently, kneeling down in front of her to get to eyelevel. The girl looked up at him with her big brown eyes, trusting eyes, and long brown hair ringing her face as she clutched a stuffed bunny.

"Where did she go?" Even her voice dripped innocence.

"She went up there," Robin said, pointing at the sky. "See that cloud?" She's on it and I bet she's watching you right now."

The girl smiled, and then frowned. "But why did Mommy go up there?"

"Because she couldn't stay here,"

"_Why?_" she pressed, a pout growing on her features.

"Because a bad man made it so she had to leave,"

"But can't you save her?"

"No, she escaped already. But where she ran to, her castle, we can't go, not yet." The girl had tears lurking in her eyes. "But I'll tell you a secret," Robin whispered conspiratorially. "She's watching you and she will always watch over you and one day, when you have to leave too, you'll see her again. And she'll take you to her castle and tell you how proud she is and how much she loves you."

"She will?" Robin nodded solemnly. "How do you know?"

"Because she's a mommy and that's what mommy's do. Especially when you can't see them, then they tell you more to make up for it because they want you to hear it. That's the amazing thing about mommies."

"But what about that person they have? Who is it? Do they have a mommy?" Robin turned and a grimace twisted his features. They had found the body. He turned back again, his voice still gentle.

"That's something your mommy left behind to fool the bad guy. It looks exactly like her, but it's not. And the bad guy is really silly so he thinks it's her, but we know better. And that's good, because if he knew too you mommy would probably get really distracted by the silly man trying to jump on her cloud and we wouldn't want that would we?" Robin smiled as the girl giggled and shook her head violently. "Where's your daddy?" A sad look fell onto the girls face.

"Mommy said that daddy had to leave a long time ago. She said he went to Ca- Can- Can-…"

"Canada?" Robin supplied.

"Yeah! She said he went there and that he would be gone for a long time. But then we saw Aunt Clara even more! I love Aunt Clara," Robin smiled then smacked his forehead dramatically.

"How rude of me, I never asked for your name!" The girl smiled.

"I'm Melanie. And you're Robin,"

"That I am," And then he did a dramatic pose, hands on hips, facing up the left and looking ridiculous in all his kneeling thirteen-year-old glory, but making Melanie giggle. He went back to his normal, slightly less ridiculous state a few moments later and looked back down at her. "Melanie, we've got to go now, but these policemen and firefighters will stay with you until your Aunt Clara comes, so be brave and be a good girl okay?" She nodded seriously. "Good. Stay safe Melanie," Before he stood up she hugged him.

"Thank you," She said. "Your mommy must be really happy with you." Robin froze then hugged her back before standing.

"I hope so. See you Melanie." And the Team left, looking back at the smoking building that was fading in the distance from the Bioship.

. . . . .

Robin arrived at the Cave two days later, a bounce in his step and a smirk on his impish face.

"Hey guys!" He called cheerfully, heading for the couch and rummaging in his backpack. "What's up?" Silence answered him and he frowned, looking up from finding his laptop. Everyone was staring at him. "Guys…? What's wrong?" M'gann spoke first.

"Robin… how are you… how can you be so…"

"Perky," Artemis finished for her.

"What?" Robin asked confusion clear in his voice. Wally took it up next.

"How can you be smiling and fine and not still- How can you forget her?" Robin's face morphed to understanding.

"I haven't forgotten her Wally. Not her and not Melanie."

"Then how are you so calm?!" Artemis burst out. She half-expected him to cut her off and say 'practice' but he remained silent. "How can you be so detached, how can you not care?!" This time Robin did break her off, rage twisting his features.

"Don't you dare," He began, his voice low and startling everyone into silence. "Don't you_ dare _say that I don't care about them, about Melanie, that I'm not affected. Not with what we do. Just because I choose not to let you see it or it's not obvious enough for you doesn't mean it's not there. Don't you dare say that I don't care, that I don't understand." Artemis scoffed.

"Yeah right, you might feel guilty for a while, but you don't know what they feel, it's just distanced pity. You don't know."

"No, you don't know! You know nothing about me Artemis, don't pretend you do. Just because you can't see it or you don't know it, it's not there right? Well, now am I supposed to show it then, O Wise One?! Crying? A good cry always helps right? I'm sure. It doesn't do anything. Talking? Like any of you would have a clue. What else? Oh, I know!" He continued to rail, his voice filled with a bitter, biting sarcasm. "Suicide! The ultimate escape right? Yeah, I'm sure. I have people who care and beyond that people who need me, who I can help. But yes, I can show it." He pulled out a Birdarang. "I can do it you know." He said placing the point above his heart. "I could do it before any of you stopped me," His expression drifted for a moment and Wally and Kaldur stepped forward.

"Dude, put the sharp thing down."

"Robin, please my friend, put it away." And Robin's expression snapped back to awareness and he put the Birdarang in his belt.

"But I won't, nor do I intend to. Because there are people like my family, Melanie, and just good people who I could save and protect. Because quitting means dishonoring anyone I couldn't reach and anyone who ever did anything for me. And I would never do that. So next time you decide that I don't show enough, think about that. There is more I can do. More than that. It's for people like them and cities like Gotham thing I know that. So don't you dare," And he grabbed his backpack before stalking back to the zeta tubes leaving them wondering how much they didn't know.

**Okay, so review and tell me what you thought please. Letter, again will be up this week, I promise. Have a wonderful week,**

**SMM**


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